What is more classic and timeless than a cameo? Though
they pre-date the Victorian era, for the travel-loving Victorians a cameo
was a favorite, possibly representing a meaningful souvenir of a Grand
European Tour. Both men and women wore cameos set as necklaces, brooch,
rings and earrings for women, and watch fobs, rings and stick pins for men,
and these could be passed down from generation
to generation.
The Victorian fascination with all things historic is demonstrated in the
classical Greek profiles and mythological motifs. Reflecting the Victorians
love of gardening and nature, floral cameos were also popular. Carved in
seashell, ivory, lava, stone, and jet,
cameos could be set in precious or non-precious metals, some wealthy patrons
even had their own likenesses done.
Although thought of
as primarily an Italian art, there were also cameo carvers in America and
other countries.
Cameos remained popular into the 20th century and were even fashioned using "new"
materials of the 30s and 40s, Bakelite and Lucite.

. When buying a cameo, be sure to check
it's condition by holding the cameo up to the light to detect possible
cracks. There is no way to repair a broken cameo so buy selectively.

CAMEO habillé brooch with
diamond necklace, Classically carved profile with roses in her hair and on
her shoulder in a filigree setting, circa 1900. There is a flip-up pendant
loop on the back, an unusually large size at 2-5/8" by 2" with 1/3" loop.
Two tiny leaves are missing on the frame but it is difficult to notice.
ViewView #U25403

VICTORIAN Bohemian
garnets hinged bangle set with a portrait cameo of George Gordon, Lord Byron (English
Romantic
poet and personality, 1788-1824). This unusual cameo bracelet is a
lovely combination of garnets and shell cameo. It is 6-1/2" around the
inside, 1-1/4" wide at the front and tapers down to 1/4" at the back. The
garnets are all rose cuts on the band and full cut around the cameo. One
garnet at the surround of the cameo itself is slightly chipped but stable
and the chip cannot be seen without a loupe. The back of the cameo is
mother-of-pearl, and it is all set in gold washed jeweler's metal. The finish has worn
some with age but again, it is visible only with a loupe.
ViewViewViewViewViewView #V29484

CAMEO
gold tone
swivel brooch with a carved sea shell cameo on the front and a memorial hair compartment on the back, circa 1880, 2".
The frame in which it is set has a lovely scroll design.
View #Q28120

VICTORIAN double strand
of jet beads and an ivory cherub brooch worn by
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne (Louise
Caroline Alberta, b. 3-18-1848, d. 12-3-1939).
She was the 4th of Queen Victoria's daughters.

VICTORIAN carved ivory curly
headed cherub face with wings brooch, 2-3/4". A similar brooch can be seen
in a photo of Her Royal Highness, The
Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, Queen Victoria's 4th daughter. A
similar piece can be seen on page 22 of Bell's "Collecting Victorian
Jewelry" and on page 48 of Rowan's "Nineteenth Century Cameos".
ViewViewView #V29475

VICTORIAN ivory cameo
brooch with full lady's face, well mellowed over the years to this
lovely creamy color, 2" by 1-1/2". The long curls are accented by
the roses in her hair. It is a classic profile which is not marred by the
striation of ivory grain that is visible at the right side of her face. The
twist design frames her beautifully and is typical of this style. According
to Rowan in "Nineteenth Century Cameos" page 122, the French were the
makers of most ivory cameos and cherubs and this is probably from
Dieppe, France, where most of the carving took place. ViewViewView #V33546

VICTORIAN ivory cameo of full face
angel or child, 1". This is loose and
ready to set in your own ring or pendant. According to Rowan in
"Nineteenth Century Cameos", the French were the makers of most ivory cameos and
cherubs.
ViewView #V33721

VICTORIAN ivory cherub pendant, 2-3/4". The expression is beautiful,
the detail amazing
and the original delicate loop is still present. The patina is lovely. According
to Rowan in "Nineteenth Century Cameos", the French were the makers of most
ivory cameos and cherubs.
View #V33719

CAMEO 14k
white gold set cameo habille with tiny pink enameled butterflies on
each of the four
corners of the filigree frame, three small diamonds on the
necklace, circa 1900, 1-7/8" by 1-1/2". The sea shell cameo
is a well carved lady with roses in her hair and on her dress. It also
was featured in Southeastern Antiquing &
Collecting Magazine, August 2003.
View #U14728

CAMEO habille brooch
of a lady with flowers in her hair and on her shoulder with aqua blue
enameled butterflies on each side of the14k white gold filigree setting and
a diamond necklace, circa 1900, 1-7/8".
ViewView #U23999

EDWARDIAN 14k white gold
filigree cameo habillé brooch with diamond necklace, four emeralds and an
enameled fan at the bottom of the setting, with a swivel bale on the back
so it can be worn as a pendant, marked "14k" on catch, 1-3/4".
View #V34623

CAMEO
Flora set in 10k yellow gold, a lovely full face Queen Conch shell cameo
that is very deeply carved with the hair
beautifully
fashioned
of rose blooms, gold twist mount, 1-1/2" by 1-1/8" and 1/2" deep. A similar cameo can be seen on page 76 of Rowan's
"Nineteenth Century Cameos".
ViewView
View
#U20324

VICTORIAN 10 karat set large
cameo brooch, a Bacchante woman's profile with grapes in her hair, set
in 10k yellow gold, 2" by 2-1/2", with guard chain. The setting has a
scalloped edge with beaded trim, simple and lovely.
ViewView #V34615

VICTORIAN
spectacular 15 carat yellow gold and shell figural cameo brooch, the
Three Muses (or Three Graces) and Cherub or Cupid with harp, set wrapped
in a snake with two tiny diamond eyes and an amazing pierced and
decorated gallery , circa 1870, 15k yellow gold, rare, unusual and
beautifully carved, a large 2-3/4" by 2-5/8". The Victorians considered
the snake a symbol of eternal love.
ViewViewViewViewView
#V34686

VICTORIAN 10 karat yellow gold and
Classical shell cameo brooch of Greek goddess Artemis, a woman with bow and
arrow, goddess of forests and hills, fertility and the hunt. The brooch is
2-1/8" by 1-3/4". There are two small reinforcements to the setting which can be
seen only on the back of the frame.
View #V34616

VICTORIAN
cameo brooch with lovely lady wearing flowers set in 14k yellow gold
with seed pearls edging the frame, circa 1900, loop on the back so it can
also be worn as a pendant. ViewView
#U4001

CAMEO
in 14k yellow gold twist setting. The lady has an anchor motif at her
shoulder and a star in her hair, circa 1910. My Grandfather bought it for
Grandmother Agnes when he was stationed in Italy during WWI.
View
#Q34648

CAMEO lovely lady
wearing flower garland and a strand of pearls, set in 14k yellow gold. My Grandfather bought
it for Grandmother Agnes when he was stationed in Italy during WWI.
#Uagnes1

VICTORIAN cameo ring with warrior
profile,14 karat yellow gold "H.B. to L.F." and "14", size 8. Even the band has
a detailed and lovely design. ViewViewView #V62782

VICTORIAN Bacchante cameo set in 9
carat yellow gold, marked "9ct" and "WHW Ld" on the back, 2" by 1-3/4", stable
internal crack visible only when back lit.
ViewView #V34732

THREE GRACES
shell
cameo. The Greek goddesses Euphrosyne, Aglaia, and and Thalia,
representative of gentleness and refinement. This cameo set in 18 karat
yellow gold belonged to my husband's grandmother, and
was purchased in Italy during WWII, circa 1940.
ViewView #Ualma

VICTORIAN Italian cameo infinity ring with 7 high relief carved cameos
in different materials including lava, coral, sea shell and jet, all hand
made and set into a very low karat yellow gold ( 6 to 8 carats), circa 1870,
size 9 and about 7/16" wide. The faces on these cameos are slightly rubbed,
as is expected on a ring this old, but the features can all be easily seen.
These would probably have been brought home from a Grand Tour that included
Italy where it was made.
View
View
View #V38006

VICTORIAN 10k lava cameo earrings set in 10 karat yellow gold circa
1900, 1-5/8" total length. The cameos themselves are in really good
condition and not rubbed as so many lava antique cameos are.
View
View
View #V37937

CAMEO
style purple
glass pate de verre brooch in an intricate and artistic silver 2-1/2" setting, circa 1900. The
setting is fashioned so that it cleverly holds the high-relief cameo
without prongs.
ViewViewViewView
#V19519

VICTORIAN 14k yellow
gold pendant ivory oval cameo locket carved with roses, flowers and leaves
bouquet, frame decorated with pearls and rubies and a bird at the top, photo
of a lady wearing a brooch and engraved initials "I.R." on the back,
original box, 2-1/2" total by 1-1/3".
ViewViewViewView #V34319

CAMEO and brown glass intaglios necklace with Iris flower motifs in the
chain, marked "sterling" on the back of the central element, wearable length
16-1/2" and the front element is 1-1/2" diagonally.
View
View
View #Q37529

VICTORIAN shell
cameo of a lady in a landscape set in a gold washed etched and pierced
silver brooch which I had professionally converted from a buckle (see back)
to a more wearable brooch,
3-1/4" by 3". This is a wonderful dramatic size and frame as well as
a lovely scene, a lady posing beside a bridge. View #V32050

VICTORIAN 10k cameo ring with a
front facing lady face set in 10 karat yellow gold, size 9-1/4 and 1" along the
finger, nose worn as is typical for this style, hallmarks almost entirely rubbed
off, total weight .26 ounces. ViewViewView #V37557

VICTORIAN Zeus cameo
carved in sea shell and set in gold washed setting, early Victorian long
pin stem, beautifully carved and a nice larger size at 2" by 1-5/8". His
curls and beard are really detailed and his face is very expressive.
ViewViewView #V37387

VICTORIAN large Bacchante cameo swivel brooch with a hand carved sea
shell cameo of a lady drinking from a glass and holding a torch. The
reverse is a locket compartment which could be cleaned out for a lock of
hair or a photo, and the setting is gold tone metal leaves and twigs,
2-5/8" by 2-1/3". This swivels so either the cameo or the photo side can
be worn in front.
View #V37840

VICTORIAN large shell cameo set in 10 karat gold filigree with four pearls
on the frame, flip-up loop on the back so this can be worn as a pendant, 2-1/3"
by 2", marked "10k" on the clasp. The lady wears a comb in her hair and a
Classic swept up hairstyle.
View #V37856
All 3

CAMEO 14k pink shell
cameo brooch of a lady in the Classical style, set in a 14k yellow gold setting
with etched flowers and leaves on the sides, a flip-up loop allows this to also
be worn as a pendant on a chain, marked "14k" on the catch, 1-3/4" by 1-1/3".
ViewView #V37995

CAMEO ring in 9 ct gold with a sea shell carved cameo of a lady
wearing a necklace, set in 9 carat yellow gold ring with etched design
around the cameo, size 8 and 1" along the finger. It is hallmarked and
they are tiny and hard to read, but I think it denotes Birmingham,
England, and the 20th century. There may be a maker's name but I cannot
read it.
View
View #V37982

CAMEO 14k and pink
shell cameo brooch of a lady in the Classical style, set in a 14k gold setting
with etched flowers and leaves on the sides, a flip-up loop allows this to be
worn as a pendant on a chain, too, marked "14k" on the catch, 1-1/2" by
1/1/4". View
#V37996

VICTORIAN lava cameo brooch, an
unusual full face lovely Bacchante looking over her shoulder, set in yellow gold
with pendant loop on back, beautifully carved, 1-5/8" by 1-1/3".
ViewView #V32045

VICTORIAN lava cameo brooch,
lovely lady with leaves in her hair in the unusual full-face style,
extremely deeply carved and set in yellow gold, features slightly worn
with age, 1-3/4" by 1-1/2". A similar piece can be seen
on page 140 of Bell's "Collecting Victorian Jewelry".
ViewView #V32046

VICTORIAN lava cameo brooch, unusual
left-facing profile of a Bacchante with grapes in her hair set in a
lovely etched silver frame, 2" by 1-3/4". Beautifully and deeply carved.
ViewView #V32047

VICTORIAN cameo
earrings with shepherd's hook findings, top of hook to bottom of cameo 1" by
5/8" wide.
View #V38470

ITALIAN lava cameo bracelet with 9 links, each with a hand carved cameo
on it. The bracelet fittings are silver and the cameo faces all face to the
center. It is 7" by 3/4" and comes with it's own box.
View
View
View
View #V38469

VICTORIAN cameo brooch with a cherub sneaking up on a butterfly on a
flower and holding a finger to his lips to signify a secret, so charming, 2"
by 1-1/2".
View
View #V38519

CAMEO brooch with flip-up pedant
loop and safety chain, circa 1930, a nice large size at 2-3/4" by 2". The
carved lady wears a necklace and earrings.
ViewView #Q32879

Victorian photograph of a young girl wearing an ornate book chain crisscross
necklace with a cameo, circa 1890.

CAMEO sterling and 14k yellow gold ring with a standing lady cream
glass oval cameo, size 7-1/2 and 1-1/4" along the finger, marked inside
the band both "14k" and "925" for sterling. The ring is sterling and the
thin frame around the cameo is karat yellow gold. My guess would be that
this ring is a studio-made piece and probably one-of-a-kind.
View
View
View #V37932

CAMEO ring
with a long oval shape that is so flattering on the finger. This may
represent the Greek goddess Luna or Diana, goddess of the moon, often
shown with a moon and sometimes, with stars, circa 1910.
ViewView #G22928

KREISLER cameo brooch set in
sterling filigree with flip-up pendant loop, circa 1940, 1-3/4" by 1-1/2". The
shell cameo is beautifully carved with a lady wearing flowers in her hair and on
her shoulder.
ViewView #Q60841

GRECIAN
lady cameo in profile set in a 2" by 1-3/4" gold filled setting. #U12537

ZEUS AND EAGLE CAMEO in
14k setting with safety chain. Victorian scroll setting encloses a very
high-relief cameo. The shell is extra fine... almost paper thin... and the
carving is unusually deep and detailed.
View
#U12533

IVORY LADY CAMEO
fully carved with a rich old-ivory patina that only comes age. She is a
full figured lady in high relief, set in 14k twisted frame, 1 7/8” x 1 ˝”.
Bacchanalia motif in her apron full of grapes and her saucy expression.
View #U12536

VICTORIAN 10k coral cameo
brooch and earrings, brooch has watch holder hook on the back, brooch 2"
by 1-1/3", earrings total 2-1/2". Each tiny cameo is slightly different
from the others and each is a child's face.
ViewView
#V34597

CAMEO 10k shell cameo brooch of a
lady with earrings and a rose set in 10 karat yellow gold with a flip up loop to
wear with a chain, marked on the back with a star and "479 NA", 1-1/2" by
1/18". View
#V37554

CAMEO 14k Three Graces shell cameo
brooch set in 14 karat yellow gold pierced scrolls frame, two Graces
fling aloft a garland and one of the Graces carries a basket of fruit.
It is marked on the clasp "14k", repaired at the back hinge at 3
o'clock, missing flip-up loop for a chain so priced "as is", circa 1900,
1-1/2" by 1-1/4". ViewView #V37553

CAMEO 10k sea shell cameo brooch with a
lady profile set in 10 karat yellow gold frame with a flip-up loop for a chain,
marked on the clasp "10k", 1-1/8" by 7/8".
View #V37555

CAMEO
sea shell cameo brooch set in silver tone filigree with the wonderful
Deco waved hairdo of the time circa 1930, 1-1/2" by 1-1/3".
View
#V37558

VICTORIAN sea shell cameo
brooch with flip-up loop for a chain, set in a light-weight scalloped gold tone metal,
with a bouquet at her shoulder, 1-1/4" by 1".
View #V37559

VICTORIAN pink shell cameo
brooch with a lady profile set "floating" in 10 karat yellow gold frame with a
flip-up loop for a chain, marked on the clasp "10k", 1-1/8" by 7/8"1-1/4" by 1",
tests 9ct. View
#V37556

VICTORIAN lady
wearing a cross on a black ribbon, black earrings and a vulcanite bracelet
with a cameo. She leans on a prayer chair. Carte de viste marked "Negretti &
Zambra, Crystal Palace, Sydenham" along with information on ordering
portrait enlargements.

VICTORIAN shell
cameos set in jet bracelet. Four of the cameos are matching lovely
ladies, and the center cameo is a pair of cherubs. A similar bracelet
can be seen in Bell's
Old Jewelry
on page 55.
ViewViewViewViewViewViewViewView #V28825

VICTORIAN cameo
brooch of Nyx, winged Goddess of the Night in "Night with her Children". Hand
carved pink shell is set in jet, circa 1860, 2-1/8" by 1-3/4".
Beautifully hand carved to
depict 'Night' after a relief done by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen in
1815. She carries her twin children
Hypnos, god of sleep, and Thanatos, god of death. Her wings spread over the
earth to create the dark of night. The owl, bird of the night, is one of her
attributes. ViewView #V33163

VICTORIAN Whitby jet hand carved
cameo bracelet strung on two strands of hat elastic. The back segments are polished convex rounds,
and the front segment is a beautifully carved lady with head dress profile.
Relaxed size is 6-3/4" with front cameo panel 1-1/3" wide and back panels
graduated from 1" down to 3/4".
ViewView #V31810

VICTORIAN Whitby
jet hand carved signed brooch with a pendant loop on the back. Signed jet
pieces are a very rare treasure. The subject is the Madonna with "Ecce Ancilla Domini" (The Annunciation)
lettered on the front, set
in gold tone, 2-1/3". The maker's signature on the back is hard to
read, but says something like, ""___ John Harland, jet ornament __ made in
Whitby".
ViewView #V29163

VICTORIAN
Whitby Jet Mary Queen of Scots brooch, and earrings, brooch is large but
has a tight hairline crack, brooch size is 2" by 1-5/8", earrings 10k wires,
1-1/2" total length. The crack is visible under 10k magnification only. The
earrings have a Greek key border and the brooch does not, so they aren't an
exact match. The flower tops on the earrings are probably not original but
they do work well with the cameos.
ViewViewViewView
#V34588

VICTORIAN Whitby jet
set cameo brooch with a bird both in the cameo and on the frame, an
unusual one-of-a-kind piece all hand carved and finished, circa 1870.
The seated lady has a Grecian hairdo and classical look, seated on a
pile of stones and musing on the bird on her finger. Do note that there
is a slight and stable crack along right side
of the cameo itself but it is firmly attached to the jet so very safe,
2-1/4" by 1-3/4". ViewView #V33688

VICTORIAN Whitby jet Leda and
the swan cameo bracelet, a Classical myth in which Zeus seduces Leda, wife of
the King of Sparta, by disguising himself as a swan, 6-5/8" around when relaxed,
1-5/8" wide at front and 5/" wide at the back. There is one stable crack in the
cameo and nicks at the edge where it was set.
ViewView #V35100

VICTORIAN vulcanite links
necklace with four pendant maenads on each side of a center classic maiden
in three-quarter profile. The central maiden is a 2-1/2" cameo and each
maenad is 2", all on a 20" chain, circa 1880. This necklace is seen in
"Nineteenth Century Cameos" by Rowan, page 119, as well as in Muller's book "Jet", page 126.
ViewViewViewView #V29237

INTAGLIO beautiful brown glass intaglios necklace with unusual Iris flower motifs in
the chain, marked "sterling" on the back of the central element,
wearable length 16-1/2" and the front element is 1-1/2" diagonally.
The catch on this necklace is beside the front element, hidden to view when
worn.
View
View
View #Q37529

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